Less lethal projectile and method of manufacture

ABSTRACT

A less lethal projectile for use with a shotgun shell is manufactured from a tubular sleeve, having a quantity of pellets contained therein and which is separated from any remaining volume of the sleeve. The remaining volume of the sleeve is folded over the quantity of pellets to provide a double walled projectile which is suitable for use with a shotgun shell to provide a less lethal projectile.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This Application is a Completion Application of Co-Pending U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 62/608,679, filed on Dec. 21, 2017, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference, including the drawing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention pertains to less lethal projectiles. More particularly, the present invention concerns methods for constructing less lethal projectiles. Even more particularly, the present invention pertains to methods for constructing less lethal projectiles for use with a firearm.

2. Description of Related Art

In controlling dangerous crowds, rioters, or individuals, less-than lethal projectiles are typically employed, such as bean bags or rubber bullets.

Bean bag bullets are well known projectiles which comprise a bag partially filled with lead shot and inserted into a shotgun shell. The shell is loaded into a shotgun and, upon being fired, the bag is propelled out of the shell and out of the muzzle of the shotgun. Thereafter, it is presumed that the bag will unfold into a flat bag shape due to the kinetic energy being distributed over the surface of the bag during flight and impact the target in this flat bag shape. As a result, the impact of the bag is spread out over a greater area, thereby lessening the possibility of an undesirable penetration into the target.

However, the shape of the bean bag bullet or projectile, at impact, is not always predictable as the bag is only flat at impact if it unfolds properly during flight. Occasionally, the bag does not properly unfold and, thus, contacts a target with its side edges folded together, thereby inflicting serious bodily injury on the target.

The prior art has addressed this situation by proposing a number of bean bag-type projectiles and methods for constructing same which attempt to solve this problem.

One such less lethal or low lethality projectile is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,202,562 to Brunn et al. The projectile taught therein comprises a sleeve having a closed end and an opposite open end. A selected amount of lead shot is deposited into the sleeve through the open end. A tie closes off the sleeve in order to keep the lead shot contained therein. The sleeve is, then inserted, into a shotgun shell. Upon firing the shotgun shell, kinetic energy flattens the closed end of the sleeve in order to inflict less harm onto its target and avoid penetrating its surface.

Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 6,655,294 to Kerr teaches a projectile filled with lead shot or pellets and a method for making same. The projectile comprises a sleeve having open opposite ends. Initially, the sleeve is tied to divide the sleeve into a first, shorter portion and a second, longer portion. The shorter portion is then folded over the longer portion to form a double-walled sleeve having an open top and a tied off bottom. The sleeve is then placed within a standing receptacle. A hollow plastic tube is then inserted into the sleeve in order to direct a supply of lead pellets into the longer portion of the sleeve. Thereafter, the longer and shorter portions may be tied together to secure pellets within the sleeve. The projectile is then inserted into a shotgun shell similar to that disclosed in Brunn et al. Kerr further teaches forming a peripheral curl or roll at the open end of the sleeve prior to inserting the projectile into the shell in order to control its accuracy during flight.

While each of the devices disclosed in the above references may be suitable for their intended uses, they still do not fully address proper unfolding. Thus, there is an ongoing need for improvements in a low lethality projectile that can ensure a greater probability of assuming the appropriate shape during flight to cause minimal harm to its intended target upon impact.

It is to this to which the present invention is directed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a less lethal projectile and a method of manufacture therefor. The method of manufacture, generally, comprises the steps of:

-   -   (a) providing a tubular sleeve having an open first end and an         opposed open second end;     -   (b) closing off the first end of the sleeve;     -   (c) inserting a supply or volume of pellets into the sleeve         through the second end;     -   (d) dividing the sleeve above the supply of pellets into an         enclosed portion and an excess portion, the pellets being         disposed within the enclosed portion of the sleeve; and     -   (e) folding the excess portion of the sleeve atop or over the         enclosed portion of the sleeve to define a double walled less         lethal projectile.

The so-formed projectile, when assembled, is inserted into an open end of a shotgun shell with the open end of the excess portion being inserted first.

The shell is then loaded into a shotgun for firing. Once the shotgun is fired, the projectile exits the shotgun. The kinetic energy during flight causes the forward closed off end to become flattened, thereby resulting in a lower probability of inflicting bodily injury and penetrating the contacted target.

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawing and detailed description. In the drawing, like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a sleeve used herein in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the sleeve hereof having one end tied off;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the sleeve hereof having an amount of shot stored therewithin;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the sleeve hereof with the shot containing portion of the sleeve being tied off from the remainder of the sleeve;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the sleeve with an excess portion thereof being folded back over the shot; and

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the folded sleeve being inserted into an open-ended shotgun shell.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Now, and in accordance with the present invention and as noted above, there is provided a less lethal projectile and a method of manufacture therefor. The method of manufacture, generally, comprises the steps of:

-   -   (a) providing a tubular sleeve having an open first end and an         opposed open second end;     -   (b) closing off the first end of the sleeve;     -   (c) inserting a supply or volume of pellets into the sleeve         through the second end;     -   (d) dividing the sleeve into an enclosed portion and an excess         portion, the pellets being disposed within the enclosed portion         of the sleeve; and     -   (e) folding the excess portion of the sleeve over the enclosed         portion of the sleeve to define a double-walled less lethal         projectile.

With more particularity and with reference to the drawing, there is provided a less lethal projectile 28 comprising a sleeve 10 having a tubular body 12. The body 12 has an open first end 14 and an opposed open second end 16. Preferably, the sleeve 10 is a tubular piece of gauze fabric such as that sold under the trade name Surgitube®.

In constructing the projectile 28, and as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the first end 14 of the sleeve 10 is initially tied off using any suitable means such as rope, twine, or the like. Alternatively, the first end 14 may be closed using a fabric adhesive or the like. Here, a first tie 18 is used to close off the first end 14 of the sleeve 10.

Thereafter, a pre-determined amount or volume of lead shot or pellets 20, commonly used in shotgun shells, or the like is poured into the body 12 of the sleeve 10 through the second end 16. The shot 20 may be inserted by any suitable means including manually, machine filling or the like. The shot 20 then stays or is stored within the sleeve 10.

Once the desired amount of shot 20 is inserted into the sleeve 10, a second tie 22 is utilized to maintain the position of the shot 20 in a compressed arrangement within the sleeve 10. The second tie 22 may or may not be identical to the first tie 18.

As shown in FIG. 4, once the second tie 22 is secured to the sleeve 10, the sleeve 10 is, thus, partitioned into two sections, an enclosed portion 24, which houses the shot 20 and an excess portion 26.

As shown in FIG. 5, the excess portion 26 is folded back over the enclosed portion 24 in order to form the projectile 28. The projectile 28 is, thusly, a double-walled structure.

As shown in FIG. 6, the projectile 28 may, optionally, include a third tie 29, similar to the first and second ties 18, 22, for maintaining the position of the excess portion 26 in relation to the enclosed portion 24 during flight. The third tie 29, if employed, further secures the excess portion 26 to the enclosed portion 24 to prevent the projectile 28 from losing its double-walled structure.

In use, the projectile 28 is inserted into an open end 32 of a shotgun shell 30. It is to be appreciated that the projectile 28 hereof is not limited to being used with any specific shotgun. Thus, the projectile 28 may be specifically dimensioned to fit within any gauge shotgun shell.

As is well known to one of ordinary skill in the art, a shotgun shell 30 includes a hull 34 which contains a primer 36, an amount of gunpowder 38, and a wad 40.

In order to prepare the projectile 28 for proper firing, the projectile 28 is inserted into the open end 32 of the shell 30 with the second end 16 and the excess portion 26 being inserted first into the shell 30. Preferably, a shell cap 42 is utilized to close off the open end 32 of the shell 30 and secure the projectile 28 therein.

Once the shell 30 is loaded into a shotgun and the shotgun is fired, the primer 36 is ignited. The ignited primer 36 causes the gunpowder 38 to explode, thereby burning and creating a gas which propels the wad 40 out of the shotgun shell 30 and out of the shotgun. The wad 40, in turn, causes the projectile 28 to be propelled out of the shell 30 and the shotgun toward an intended target. During flight, the generated kinetic energy is distributed over the surface of the enclosed portion 24 and against the second tie 22. This causes the enclosed portion 24 to become substantially flattened. This provides a greater surface area of impact while contacting an intended target as opposed to a narrow point which is more likely to penetrate the surface of the target.

It is to be understood that the projectile 28 may be sold independently or as a kit in combination with the shotgun shell 30.

From the above, it is to be appreciated that defined herein is a new and unique method for constructing a low lethality projectile for use with a firearm.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   10 Sleeve -   12 Body -   14 First end -   16 Second end -   18 First tie -   20 Shot -   22 Second tie -   24 Enclosed portion -   26 Excess portion -   28 Projectile -   29 Third tie -   30 Shotgun shell -   32 Open end of shotgun shell -   34 Hull -   36 Primer -   38 Gunpowder -   40 Wad -   42 Shell cap 

Having, thus, described the invention, what is claimed is:
 1. A method of manufacturing a less lethal projectile, comprising steps: (a) providing a tubular sleeve having an open first end and an opposed open second end; (b) closing off the first end of the sleeve; (c) inserting a volume of pellets into the sleeve through the second end; (d) dividing the sleeve into an enclosed portion and an excess portion, the pellets being disposed within the enclosed portion of the sleeve; and (e) folding the excess portion of the sleeve over the enclosed portion of the sleeve to define a double-walled less lethal projectile.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the tubular sleeve is a gauze fabric tube.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the pellets are lead shot.
 4. The method of claim 1 which further comprises: the first end with a tie.
 5. The method of claim 1 which further comprises: separating the enclosed portion from the excess portion with a tie.
 6. The method of claim 1 which further comprises: tying the folded over excess portion with a third tie.
 7. The method of claim 1 wherein the sleeve is a fabric sleeve, the pellets are lead shot and securing a third tie about the excess portion after it is folded over the enclosed portion.
 8. A less lethal projectile manufactured according to the method of claim
 1. 9. A less lethal projectile manufactured according to the method of claim
 2. 10. A shotgun shell comprising the less lethal projectile manufactured according to the method of claim
 1. 